Saturday, February 22, 2014

Eddie

Have you been watching the 2014 Olympic games from Sochi, Russia? I think lots of people have. There have been many interesting stories and some really exciting and close competitions.

Like hockey! I missed watching the hockey game between the United States and Russia but the following day many people were talking about it at work and on the news, just how exciting it was. Overtime! A shoot out!! And we won!!!

Many great stories are coming out of these Olympic games. But there have been many sad stories as well. Unfinished hotel rooms, toilets installed but the actual pipe was missing, drinking water that looked more like a glass of beer than water.

Every Olympic games has its share of happy and sad stories to tell. Stories that inspire and stories that make us wonder. Back in 1972 at the Munich games for example, 11 Israeli athletes and one German police officer were killed by a group of Palestinian activists. A sad story indeed.

This morning I would like to talk to you about a happy story - a story of the Olympic spirit and one former Olympian - a ski jumper named Eddie Edwards. This guy competed back in the 1988 Calgary games. He wasn't very good. As he would say later, he was Great Britain's first, and probably last, Olympic ski jumper.

His story was much like that of the Jamaica bobsled team. Underdogs to say the least. Never expected to win. But everyone seemed to love them anyway and they developed a following. Same with Eddie, who, mockingly, became known as Eddie The Eagle.

When Eddie made a jump the whole crowd cheered, not because he set a record but because he actually survived! Some in the sport actually shunned Eddie because he was detracting from the actual champion ski jumpers. And all he did was believe he could do something and then actually set about doing it.

Eddie's "Olympic Spirit" reminds me of what it's like being a Christian these days. We are persecuted for our faith. Shunned by the secular world and liberal ideology. Yet we continue on worshiping Jesus, despite all the negativism and attacks on our faith.

America loves an underdog and we Christians are definitely that. But unlike Eddie The Eagle, we are not lifted up as heroes by the world in which we live. But we DO get to win in the end. The following is a pep talk of sorts from the apostle Paul to a young Christian named Timothy. It could easily have been read to Eddie Edwards before his first Olympic jump. Each of us should take it to heart when we face persecution in this world that loves to crown champions. The following is a letter to underdogs everywhere.

Final Charge to Timothy

11 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you 14 to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.

17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.

20 Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, 21 which some have professed and in so doing have departed from the faith.